Karni Sena members burn posters of Bhansali's 'Padmavati'

Jaipur, Sep 23 (IANS) The Shri Rajput Karni Sena, an organisation of the Rajput community, on Saturday burnt posters here of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s much-awaited “Padmavati” which is slated for a December 1 release.

A group of protesters gathered in front of Rajmandir Cinema Hall and shouted slogans against Bhansali and burnt posters of the film.

“While shooting in Jaipur Bhansali had promised to show the film to us and historians before releasing it. But since then no one has contacted us, nor has the film been shown to us,” Narain Singh Divrala, district president Jaipur of the Shri Rajpur Karni Sena, told IANS.

“We want him to show the film to the core committee of Shri Rajput Karni Sena and various organizations, including historians, before releasing it,” Divrala said.

“Till then we will not allow the film to be released,” he added.

“If the Karni Sena core committee and historians don’t have any problems only then will we allow screening of the movie,” he added.

“We have come to know through media reports that facts and history have been distorted in the film, and it is unacceptable,” Divrala said.

In January, activists of the Shree Rajput Karni Sena had protested, manhandled and misbehaved with the crew of Bhansali’s “Padmavati” claiming that he was distorting historical facts in the movie.

They had also damaged some cameras and other equipments. Bhansali had to stop shooting.

The Karni Sena claimed that they have got a big library and that in no book is it written that Alauddin Khilji, a powerful ruler of the Khilji dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate in 13th-14th century, fell in love with Padmavati or that he was her lover.

“They are trying to defame Padmavati by distorting historical facts. It is not acceptable,” an activist of Karni Sena said.

In March some miscreants broke the mirrors in Padmini Mahal (palace) in Chittorgarh Fort where Ala-ud-din Khilji is believed to have seen Rani Padmavati or Padmini.

Shri Rajput Karni Sena claims that the mirror was invented years after Padmavati lived and therefore it is a completely untrue story.

The first look of Bhansali’s much-awaited film, featuring Deepika Padukone, was released earlier this week. The actor plays Rani Padmini or Padmavati of Chittor, alongside Ranveer Singh who plays Alauddin Khilji.